Thin Line
by applepeanutbutter
Summary: RoryTristan It's a thin line between love and hate, especially when your married. Granted, it's just a highschool assignment.
1. Chapter 1

Pairings- Rory/Tristan

Disclaimer: I own nothing !

Summary- "Its a thin line between love and hate, especially when your married. Granted, it's only a high school class assignment but still...

A/N- Hi guys, I thought this would make a great story, so I hope you like it. RR. Dedicated to my beta reader, she's the best !

She was never late. Never. Yet here she was five minutes from first period and only just now reaching the Chilton parking lot.  
Mentally objurgating her self she jumped from her car and raced as fast as Gilmorely possible towards her once happy home.  
"Yes! I'm going to make it" she whooped. As she slid around the corner however, "Bam." She smacked right into someone, sending her toppling backwards. "I'm so sorry" she offered. Pulling her stuff up with her, she glanced towards her "someone". Tristan. Wasn't that just what she needed.

"You know Mare..."

"Look, Tristan," she cut him off. "I have less than a minute to get to my first class or I'm deemed late, forever tarnishing my would be perfect attendance record, so if you don't..."

RING- The bell signaled for the new day to begin.

"Just great!" She shouted "Now I'm late."

"Take heed in the fact that you're not alone."

"You're late all the time. Why's today any different?" she questioned deadpanndendly.

"Well, because if as I recall, YOU smacked into ME causing ME to be late." He pointed towards her, then back towards himself high lighting his point.

"And if I may recall, you were walking in the opposite direction of class, causing ME to smack into YOU." She mock pointed from him to her.

"Yes but you see, the teachers don't know that."

"Flagitious, you are."

"I have know idea what you're talking about, but come come." He gestured towards their first period.

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"Rory, Tristan, so glad you could join us."

"I can explain, really I can," she panted

"That won't be necessary. Just take your seats, I was just announcing a new project."

"But..."

"Seat. Now."

"My alarm didn't go off, my mom was at work, no coffee this morning, disgruntled cop, double parking, and then...well, smack"  
she babbled incoherently all the while using her hands to emphasize her points.

"Tell you what, how about you tell me all about this after school, room 106."

"Wait, like, detention?"

"Yes, like, detention."

"But..."

Tristan who this whole time had remained silent decided now was the perfect time to intervene, "I was the 'smack' in Gilmores very verbose statement, hence, my being late." He smirked, causing most if not all, of the class to laugh.

"Very well, take your seats."

'Must the world vex me so?' Late and detention all in the same day, un freaking believable. Her mother was going to have a field day with this one. Not to mention the horrible morning she'd already had. She forgot to set her alarm last night before falling asleep, and, since her mom had a business meeting with Sookie early that morning, she hadn't woken up until Babets morning rendition of "The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow", which she usually sang every morning to her garden gnomes. After realizing how late it was, she quickly got dressed, jotted down a little note to her mother about taking the car, and sped of in pursuit of higher education. And, boy, did she get one...Did you know going 45 in a 30 mile zone was speeding? Ateast that's what the disgruntled cop told her. All that and no coffee...could the day get any worse?

"Now," the teacher boomed forcing her from her reverie, "as I was saying, this new project will be worth forty percent of your over all grade this quarter. That could either make you or break you in this class, so I suggest you take this seriously. This being social studies, and all I find it inevitable that you'd study people and how they live. So in keeping up with Chilton high school tradition. I've decided to pair you off into mock marriages. So as to allow you the opportunity to experience marital bliss, and get a little taste of real life. Partners are permanent, so don't ask. Once you're all paired up, I'll be coming around with these two glass bowls."

Pointing towards them as he went. "In each bowl there are tiny slips of paper. This one," he said pointing towards the one on the right, "is filled with jobs, and this one," he pointed towards the one the left, "is filled with numbers, indicating how many children you will have. It will also tell you their gender and age. I'll also be handing out packets that further explain the assignment. Any questions?"

When no one raised their hand he started to call out the pairings. "Paris and Brad. Rory and ...Tristan"

And their it was, her first real heart attack... and she was so young too...could the day get worse?...Spoken to soon,  
for her and Tristan were up first to pick out jobs and kids.

"After you, honey." Tristan smirked pushing Rory towards the bowl in Mr. Peppers outstretched hand...Stay at home mom.

Now, I'm not saying being a stay at home mom is a bad decision, but for a girl like Rory it came as a shock. Especially since her goal in life was to graduate from Harvard and become a news correspondent. Not a stay at home mom, and certainly not one to Tristan, even if it was just pretend.

Its not that Tristans a bad guy, aside from that whole "new girl a day" rule, his overly confident attitude, and his incessant need to annoy her, he was great. Not in the traditional, I like you, you're great, but more of an if you stay away from me at all times you're great.

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Rory made it through until lunch relatively unscathed, considering... She decided it would be better to just go hide away for lunch. As she started the long walk down the hallowed hallways towards the library, Tristan easily fell into step.

"So, Hun, when should we meet to go over our impromptu marriage?"

"About the same time we go over our impromptu divorce."

"What? Only using me for the kids?"

"Oh, of course not. I just wanted your money."

"Aw, babe you wound me," he feigned mock hurt. "But, if that's all it takes for us to finally be together..."

"Tristan, I've had a bad day, with no coffee what so ever might I add, and I might have quite possibly hit rock bottom. So if you don't mind, I'd like to be alone. They had reached the front doors of the library, and she pushed them open and walked straight back to her window seat. Tristan, obviously not easily deterred, followed closely behind.

"What happened, Ror? Does this have anything to do with your freak out this morning?"

"It might." "However, it might also be that I got married today, and my mom didn't even show" she added as an after thought.

"You know how low key we wanted the ceremony to be. It was for the best." He joked, playing along.

Smiling for what seemed like the first time that day, she turned to him only to find him with an identical look.

"What's got you so smiley?"

"Well, was it just me or do I distinctly remember hearing you babble on about a disgruntled cop?"

"Oh that," she blushed "I was apparently speeding this morning, cops don't like that too much."

"You don't say. Were you so excited about marrying me and having my children that you got pulled over?"

Reaching over she slapped his arm before saying, "Like I said before, I just wanted your money. The kids were just a perk."

Whoops. Wrong thing to say... she mentally berated her self. She turned pinker as she went over in her head what she had just said.

"Having my kids is a perk, huh?"

"You know what I mean."

He smirked at her completely flushed face before pulling her up, "Come on."

"Where to?"

"The teachers lounge, they have coffee in there."

"Thanks."

"Oh, and from rock bottom, just so you know, there's no where to go but up." 


	2. Chapter 2

Pairings- Rory/Tristan

Disclaimer: I own nothing !

Summary- "Its a thin line between love and hate, especially when your married. Granted, it's only a high school class assignment but still...

A/N- This chapter Is a little bit on the short side, I just wanted to get something posted, anything, so here It Is, I hope you like It. Also, the part at the end about eggs,

was advice taken from a reviewer, RoxyRoo...so shout out to her, thanks !

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Detention should have been easy for Rory, slip on her head phones, flip open her newest novel, Tolstoy or maybe Wilder, and completely forget about her current surroundings.

However, for every ten lines she read, she spent the next ten thinking about her afternoon coffee adventure. Or rather, who she had it with. So In reality, she really only read those same ten lines. Which of course she had know idea what they meant, seeing as how her mind was a little preoccupied.

Tristan had walked her the back way towards the teachers lounge, how he knew the back way, or, that there was a back way was a different story altogether. Anyway, they reached the lounge with no problem, slipped in quietly, and poured themselves a mug full each. Thats when he heard it. The reverberating sound of footsteps from the hallway, permeating through the open door. "Oh no, what do we do?" She remembers asking. Swiftly, he placed his fingers on her lips silencing her, and pushed her back towards the end of the counter, and pulled her down towards him, hiding them from view.

He smelt so good, like freshly laundered clothing. His breaths where short and few, like he'd just ran in a marathon. His heart was racing a million miles a second. Be It because of his close proximity to Rory, or the fact that they might at any second have been caught, she'll never know. Despite the fact that her future was on the line if she was caught, she distinctly remembered how warm, and safe she felt being in his arms.

"Ms. Gilmore." Mr. Pepper called from his seat across the room "your free to go, your time Is up."

"Oh, thanks." She replied reaching for her backpack and backing her way towards the door. She had taken all needed items from her locker beforehand so she could make a speedy exit, and get home before her mother.

To no avail though. As she was walking down the steps of Chilton, she noticed another car parked next to hers in the student parking area. A silver Bentley, to be exact. As she started to get closer, the door of the car in question opened. Out stepped Tristan.

"Your loitering, you know."

"I know. I have a question I'd like to ask you. It comes from the heart, and Is long over due. Regarding this question, I'd like your reply. Because I love you more, every minute that goes by."

"Oh Tristan, get serious."

"I am serious" he replied getting down on one knee and pulling a black box out of his pocket.

"What are you doing?"

"I thought it would be obvious by now" he smiled opening the box to reveal a shiny candy ring pop.

"Is that candy?"

"I'd only want the best for my wife."

"If I say yes, can I eat It? Or do I have to wear it? Because my answer lies within your answer."

"You can eat It."

"Then yes." She laughed jovially reaching for it.

"Let me" he reached for her hand, and delicately slid the ring on her finger. "Theres one more thing."

"More?"

"Just this" he called from inside his car.

"Coffee" She shouted running towards him. "This is the best, thank you so much."

"I don't drink much coffee, but I'm pretty sure the coffee in the teachers lounge was gross."

"I'll attest to that."

"Thought you would, all though I will admit, that 'I'm going to throw up' look you had when you took a sip was almost worth the sip you made me take."

" Might I suggest showing the coffee before popping the question next time."

"You could, although, I'm not sure why It would matter, seeing as how you already said yes."

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"One colossally gigantic cup of coffee please." She took a seat at the counter of Lukes. and after banging her head against the counter a couple of times sighed a deep heavy sigh, before placing her head upon her arms.

"Bad day, I'll take it?" Luke asked, gently placing a coffee cup filled to the brim beside her head.

"Not so much bad...just different." She smiled faintly before taking a sip.

"It's not so much the getting married and having kids part, but the man I married." She responded at his questioning gaze.

"Your kidding right?"

"All guys are idiots, no offence, and I just happened to marry their king." Gulping down the rest of her coffee she proceeded to drop her head against the table.

"I'll get you some pie."

"Make it triple fudge chocolate cake, would ya?"

"Rory!" Lorelai burst in, running towards her and enveloping her into a hug. "What happened are you ok?"

"She got married" came Lukes over the shoulder reply.

"Married? Rory, honey, whats he talking about?"

"Funny, thats what my husband, Tristan, calls me."

"Thats good, considering it's your name and all."

"No, the honey part, he calls me honey."

"You got married, to Tristan, he calls you honey, I was..meeting, coffee, I need coffee. For the love of god Luke, coffee!"

After taking a long, long, long, long sip, she tried again. "You got married?"

"Yes, to Tristan."

"Ok, why?"

"School project."

"Good, thats good. School project." She mumbled falling back on the chair next to Rorys.

"Did anything else happen I should know about?"

"Do you have time?" She replied looking up at her mother for the first time.

"I got nothing but time now, I cancelled the meeting when I got your page."

"Two burgers Luke" She yelled pulling Rory towards one of the empty tables near the window. "So, tell me what happened."

"I missed the bus this morning, so I took the car. I got pulled over for speeding, I was only going 15 miles over the speed limit, I mean what was that guys deal."

"Hold on, you got pulled over? You, the Ms. Daisy driver?"

"Believe me, thats the least of it."

"MORE COFFEE LUKE !"

"Once I got into the school parking lot I raced inside, and bumped into this kid while rounding the corner. Of course, it was none other then your son in law, Tristan. Then the bell rang signaling me as late."

"Oh no, you were tardy too?"

"I'm not done. So after yelling at him for making me late, I strode into class, were I proceeded to yell at the teacher..."

"Oh no."

"Causing her to give me detention."

"Detention Rory? Cop, tardy, and a detention?"

"Plus a marriage, two kids, and oh ya, your cars out of gas."

"So, would you be completely mortified if I threw you a party? You know, in honor of making me the happiest mother ever."

"Mom!"

"I'm just kidding, we'll celebrate your detention thing later. I want to know about this marriage."

"Basically, for the next few days I have to pretend to be married to Tristan, while I carry around not one, but two eggs."

"Eggs?"

"Yes, apparently the egg child will help me realize the difficulties of having kids. And you know, as a 'stay at home mom' it could only help."

"Stay at home mom?"

"Oh ya. We had to pull out a piece of paper from this glass bowl, the paper told us our profession. It's so not fair, I got stay at home mom, while Tristan gets to be a lawyer. Not that I want to be a lawyer, but how come I'm stuck at home raising the Adams family, and he gets to be off yelling at people for a living? I want to yell at somebody."

"Where are the little ones? Oh, what are their names?"

"We get them tomorrow, we have to name them then as well."

"Grandmother Lorelai. Sounds nice."

"Mom!" She started slamming her head against the table again.

"This doesn't sound to bad, sounds like it should be fun."

"I didn't tell you the rest."

"Theres more? Still?"

"Sure, theres still the teachers lounge, and the wedding ring" She smiled flashing the ring."

"Your pleased."

"I'm not pleased, I just...I think it was sweet."

"Your starting to like him aren't you?"

"No" rolling her eyes and sighing she continued, "I just think it was nice of him. Besides how can I like someone I've spent months hating?

"Are you asking me, or yourself?"


	3. Chapter 3

Pairings- Rory/Tristan

Disclaimer: I own nothing !

Summary- "Its a thin line between love and hate, especially when your married. Granted, it's only a high school class assignment but still...

A/N - Hey guys, long time no update ! This one isn't as long as I had hoped, but I've already got the plans for next chapter, so you shouldn't have to wait as long! Enjoy.

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Reaching down she grasped the slender straps of her book bag gently hoisting it from its current position on the floor, pulling it towards her. She was a few minutes early and was hoping to finish her latest chapter. Although mentally knowing her chances of even finishing a page were futile. Not because school started soon, but because her first class was none other then her newest favorite class to dread. It should be illegal to make a child, such as her go through what she was about to endure so early on in the day, especially considering her coffee in take was limited to four cups this morning.

Despite the fact that she had gone to bed early enough, she had gotten little to no sleep. Her entire day up to that point began replaying before her closed eye lids, causing her to wake every hour or so. When she finally had had enough, she had swung her feet out of bed, letting her feet hit the cold wood flooring beneath them and walked drowsily towards the Kitchen coffee pot. Tediously gathering the materials around her she started to make a fresh batch, hoping against hope she wouldn't wake her mother. Her mother would want to talk, something that she mostdefinitely didn't want to do. She was feeling a myriad of emotions, she wanted so badly to just hate him. Yet at the same time, something kept screaming out to her 'no you don't'. Hating Tristan would make things so much easier, actually not being married to him would help a great deal more, but, being as she was her mothers daughter, giving up wasn't in her nature. Thus, she trudged on, forgetting that he was mean to her her first few months in school, forgetting everything, including that she wanted so badly to hate him.

The shrill sound of feet scraping the classroom tile, and the small gusts of winds sent her way from her fellow students when passing her desk caused her to look up briefly, only to be met with the eyes of the one thing she feared she'd see. Tristan. Of course, the moment her eyes met his he turned away. Not wanting to be left gawking, she in turn averted her eyes allowing them to fall down towards her un-opened book.

The bell rang allowing the teacher to begin his normal routine. "Good morning everybody, I hope you had a goodnights sleep and are ready for todays lesson. Today your going to pair off with your husband and or wife, where I will precede to come around with this box of eggs...consider me the stork. Todays task is simple, name your children, and apartment hunt. Each group will recieve a list of various places, some cheaper then others, consult your budget. The moment you make your selection, let me know so we can take it off the market. Good luck, and happy hunting."

Rory didn't want to be the one going to Tristan, but one look upwards told her he wasn't going to budge. Reluctantly she stood grabbing her bag as she passed and made her way up the isle towards Tristans desk.

"Ahh, Rory, Tristan, two kids I believe?"

"Thats right."

"Oh good, here you go." He smiled reaching into his accursed brown box and removing the eggs, handing one to each Rory and Tristan.

The silence that filled the area around his desk was astonishing, he wasn't sure what to say, though he attempted something many a time. Each time getting the same result, the opening and closing of his mouth. Apparently this whole marriage to Rory thing was going to be harder then he thought.

"I was thinking we could name one of the children Tristan Jr. you know, after their father." He finally managed.

"No way" Came her quick reply.

"Why not, I should get some say in this marriage."

"First of all both our children are girls."

"So."

"So? Are you kidding me?"

"No, and your mother named you after her, so why can't I?"

"Do I really need to point out to you that, one, my mom was wacked out onDemerol when she made her choice, a drug I'm fairly certain your not on, secondly, both my mother and I are girls, making it ok to be named the same thing. Your daughters are girls, you are not, although if you were it might help a little, but the point is, I said no, do you see why now?"

"If Gwyneth Paltrow can name her daughter Apple, why can't I name ours Tristan?"

"Because I would actually like our children to like us when they grow up."

"Its a fake assignment Rory, they won't grow up."

"I say we get a three bedroom apartment."

"I think your avoiding the issue because your running out of reasons, and a two bedroom is room enough, the girls can share a room."

"I know the girls can share a room, the third was for me."

"Ahh Rory honey, where married now, Its ok. Besides I don't steal the covers, and if I do, theres many ways I can warm you up."

"As appealing as that sounds, I'll stick to my third bedroom, heck I'll share the crib with the babies so long as I don't have to with you."

"Now hows that going to look?"

"Its the name or the room, you pick."

"Class, if I may intervene a moment. I forgot to mention this morning that there's an extra credit assignment you guys may do. The onlycontingencies though, is that it must be done together. All you have to do, is baby sit a real living, breathing baby and write a report about your experience. Its due when this assignment is over."

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Unceremoniously her feet moved over her bedroom threshold towards the telephone cradle of their own accord, unconsciously making the answer to her current situation painstakingly obvious.

'Just do it' she thought reaching out and tracing her finger slowly along the numbered dials. 'This shouldn't be hard, its not like I'm asking him out. I mean, I am. But strictly for an extra credit assignment'. It was so like Mr.Pepper to add that last bit about having to complete the assignment with their "significant others". What was his deal? Not even Ward and June Cleaver did everything together. It was like he was purposely smothering them so they wouldn't ever want to get married. In her opinion it was both a sly and jerky move. Doesn't he know its obviously hard for her to be "married" to Tristan. 'Hard, this isn't hard, I don't like him...hes an ok friend...sometimes...not really'..."Oh just call him already" She screamed.

"I agree, you've been staring at the phone for over ten minutes."

Jumping at the sound of her moms voice, who she had fully intended to be at work this current time of day, she turned around plastering a fake smile on her face. "Hey, I didn't hear you come in."

"I'm very sneaky sneaky. So...the phone."

"Right." She walked towards her room slowly dialing as she went. She never thought it was possible to both fear and love something as much as she was loving the incessant ringing as she did now. What if no one answered? She didn't feel like she could work up the nerve to call him again, even if it was for school related activities. Then again, what if he did answer? What was she going to say? 'Hey Tristan, would you like to spend your precious minutes not with whatever candy named brain dead and vapid low life you've got lined up for tonight, but instead with me, watching some kid for extra credit?' It wasn't that easy, not to mention he had been so nice to her the other day, and incredibly horrible to her the rest of the time...what if yesterday was a fluke, caused only by the fact that she was paired with him, and unintentionally threw out the idea that his company wasn't so bad, and that she could actually stand him, making him think that maybe she would fall at his feet one day...What if now that she was calling he would just laugh at her...I mean she did say yes when he asked, what if...

"Dugrey residents."

"Oh" quickly being pulled from her ever growing thoughts she stammered out a hello. "Hel-l-o, i'm looking for Tristan, is he around?" Sucking in her breath, she silently prayed that he would in deed be home.

"Just a moment, I'll go fetch him" letting out her breath at the fact he was home, she smiled when she over heard what she most likely wasn't suppose to, as it was whispered "like a dog, I'll go fetch him like a dog."

"Tristan here."

"Tristan hi, this is..."

"Rory? What do you want?"

"I was getting to that, was just running through pleasantries first."

"Right, hi Rory, to what to I owe this honor?"

"What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Asking me out? I never figured you for the type to go out on a school night, but hey, if you just can't wait tell Friday to get close to me, I suppose I could free my self up. What did you have in mined?"

"I'm going to refrain from saying every comeback that came to mind at your obvious lack of oxygen, mainly because I want, no need your help, and partly because...no, actually, it's only because I want your help."

"Only because you refrained will I let you continue with out you hearing my lecture on how 'many a girl would like to go out with me'."

"I was calling, because I was hoping you would help me with that extra credit assignment Mr.Pepper mentioned in class. One of moms guests at the Inn would love nothing more then to go shopping in Hartford, leaving us the perfect opportunity to baby sit her kid for her."

"You want me to help you baby sit some kid?"

"Yes, well, no. I want you to come tomorrow, so that I can turn in the assignment and pretend that you helped."

"I guess."

"Poor Cookie."

"What?"

"Nothing, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, tomorrow."

That was definitely unexpected. Not that he was complaining, time with Rory was accepted willingly no matter what he had to do. 'Gosh he was so whipped'. Just the fact that she called his house alone was grounds for any person to think themselves well liked, or at least tolerated...however with Rory it was a little different, I mean, it was for an assignment, one in which she can't do with out him.


End file.
